Multiple game or blackboard



July 29, 1958 J. s. KURUC MULTIPLE GAME 0R BLACKBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet ,1

Filed Sept. 28, 1956.

' INVENTOR- JESEPH S URL/g ATTORNEY 2,844,896 [C6 Patented July 29, 1958 MULTIPLE GAME OR BLACKBOARD Joseph S. Kuruc, Clifton, N. J.

Application September 28, 1956, Serial No. 612,638

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-102) This invention relates to a device having a plurality of boards which may bedisplayed sequentially. Such device is useful, for example, as a multiple blackboard or as a game device wherein different designs or information may be exposed to a view for a period and then hidden from view.

The invention has among its objects the provision of an improved multiple board device. A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a multiple game board wherein the boards are held stably and positively but with the exposed board free for rapid and easy movement into a hidden position.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of a multiple game board of the type above indicated wherein the board which has most recently moved from view is automatically added to a stack of hidden boards which are stably held ready for viewing when 7 desired.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a multiple game board wherein any one of the stably held stock of stably held boards may be immediately exposed to view when desired.

The above and further objects of the invention will be more readily apparent upon consideration of the following specification describing two embodiments of the multiple game board of the invention, and of the drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation from line 11 of Fig. 2 of a first embodiment of the multiple board of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device of Fig.v 1.;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section through the device of Figs. 1 and 2, the section being taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. l, the view showing a previously ex-.

posed board about to be added to the stack of boards being held in readiness.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the stackholding latching mechanism about to return to operative position after the last exposed board has been added to the stack.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a second embodiment of the multiple board device of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged view in front elevation of the portion of a side front support of the device in the vicinity of a board-holding latch means.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in transverse section through such front side support of the second embodiment of the invention; the section'being taken along the line 77 of Fig. 6, the latch means being in operative stack-holding position and about to receive the last exposed board.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but with thelast' exposed board received by the latch means and in an intermediate position with respect thereto.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, there is there shown a multiple board device in accordance with the invention having an upright easel-like support for the boards. The

having two spaced parallel uprights 10 connected intermediate their ends by cross pieces 11 and 12, and at the top by a cross rod 14. Such rod has two large washers 15 aflixed thereto adjacent the ends of the rod, the upper ends of members 10 being retained on rod 14 outwardly of the washers 15 by the wing nuts 16 on the threaded outer ends of the rod.

The support is completed by a rear prop-like structure composed of uprights 17 connected intermediate their ends by cross member 20, the upper ends of uprights 17 being attached to members 10 by hinges 19.

Supported on rod 14 are a plurality of similar boards (six shown) which may be, for example, blackboards, game boards, quiz boards, or the like, or any desired combination of such boards. Each board has two spaced rings 22 attached to the upper edge thereof, the rings 22 of each board having a diiferent spacing from that of the other boards so that the loops 22 and the rings 24 disposed upon rod 14 and interlinked with loops 22 to support the boards do not interfere with each other.

The board 21 facing the reader in Fig. 1 may readily be removed from view by being rotated upwardly about rod 14 as an axis, in the direction of the curved arrow in Fig. 2, and then downwardly to lie at the rear of the stack of boards 21. The device of the invention includes a latching means 25 whereby the stack of boards is stably held at all times and the most recently displayed and now removed board, designated 21a in Figs. 2 and 4, is automatically added to such stack of stably held boards as such board completes its travel into the rear of the stack.

The structure of means 25 and its mode of operation will be more readily understood by reference to Figs. 3 and 4. Means 25 is in the form of an elongated hinge having one fixed leaf 26 extending longitudinally above and afiixed to the upper surface of cross member 12.

Pivotally attached to the rear edge of leaf 26 by a pivot pin 2'7 is a second elongated leaf 28 having afirst, upper arm 29 and a second, oppositely extending lower arm 30, the two arms 29 and 30 being generally of the same vertical lengths.

In position of the latch-means shown in Fig. 2, here termed the operative position, the second leaf is urged into generally vertical position by coil tension springs 31 which have their upper ends attached to the lower end of arm 30 of the second leaf 28 and their lower ends attached to the rear surfaces of the respective upright members 10. In such operative position of the latch means, arm 29 of the second leaf lies behind the nearmost board 211) of the stack of boards when such stack lies as shown in Fig. 3. In such position, the stack of boards is rigidly and stably held so that one may write upon the exposed board without any undesirable shifting or yielding of the board, since arm 3Q engages member 12 to form a stop against counterclockwise movement of member 28.

The latch means 25 is of such construction that it automatically yields to accept one or any number of boards 21 after they have been turned to the rear, and to add such one or more turned boards to the stably held stack. In Fig. 3 one such turned board 21a is shown approaching the latch means 25. As the user of the device continues to turn board 21a counterclockwise, its lower edge engages the upper arm 29 of the second leaf 28, and then turns the second leaf clockwise against the apposition of springs 31, as shown in Fig. 4. It will be obvious that continued movement of board 21a in the direction of the arrow in Fig.4 will carry such board past the upper edge of arm 29, after which the second leaf 28 of the latch means will be restored to position of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 by springs 31, but with board 21a lying in front of, and stably held by, upper arm 29 of the second leaf of the latch means 25.

v The second illustrative embodiment ofthe multi-board lower edges of the boards free from cross members, if

desired, thereby allowing the device to be made for use, for example, as a combined lap-held tray and multiple board device.

The device of Figs. 5-8, inclusive, has two inverted V- shaped side frames each made up of a front upright 34 and a rear upright 35 joined at their upper ends by brace means 36. Means 36 are connected by a horizontal rod 37, which serves as a support for a plurality of similar boards 40. Uprights 34 and 35 are connected adjacent their lower ends by a horizontal platform 39, which may constitute a support for a meal or a play area for a child, as when the device is used in bed.

Boards 40 are hung from red 37, by means generally designated 41, in the same manner as the boards 21 in the first described embodiment. Such boards, which may be game boards, blackboards, or any combination thereof, are freely rotatable singly or in multiple from a position in which they lie parallel to uprights 34 up and around rod 37 finally to lie at the rear of the stack. The boards are stably and strongly retained in operative position by the two opposed latching means 42, which allow the rearmost board to move past them and thus to be added to the rear of the stack. The construction and mode of operation of the latching means 42 will be more fully understood by reference to Figs. 6, 7, and 8.

The two latching means 42 are mirror images of each other. Each has a fixed leaf member 44 aflixed to the forward face of its respective upright 34. Pivotally mounted'pintle pin 45 through ears on member 44 projecting inwardly of upright 34 is an L-shaped member 46 having a rearwardly projecting leg 49 and a sidewardly projecting leg 47. A coil tension spring 50 extends between the rear edge of leg 49 and the rear surface of upright 34 normally to urge member 46 into the position of Fig. 7, in which leg 49 of the latch means engages the side of member 34.

A most recently displayed board 40a which has been turned up and away from the front is shown in Fig. 7 approaching the rear of a stack of boards held by latch members 42. As the travel of board 4011 continues, its edges contact the rear surfaces of legs 47, turning the means 46 shown in Figs. 7 and 8 clockwise, as indicated in Fig. 8, against the opposition of springs 50, until board 40a escapes past the inner end of arms 47, to join the other boards in the stack, the latch member 46 being rea '4 7 turned by the springs to the position shown in Fig. 7, in which they again hold the stack of boards against rearward movement.

Whereas for purposes of illustration I have shown and described two embodiments of the multiple board device of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto since the invention is obviously capable of variation as to details. The invention is therefore to be defined by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A display device comprising in combination a plurality of generally similar boards, a frame having means pivotally mounting each of the boards at one edge thereof so that they may rotate singly and in multiple continuously through 360 in a forward direction about a common axis through a display zone, and yieldable escapement means on the frame for stably retaining a stack of boards against movement in a rearward direction from said display zone while permitting movement of the boards through said display zone in the forward direction, said escapement means including a latch member yieldable in the forward direction coacting with one of the other edges of the boards.

F escapement means including a latch member yieldable in the forward direction coacting with one of the other edges of the boards, said latch member having an arm interposable into a position in the path of movement of the boards, resilient means urging the arm toward such position, and stop means to prevent retrograde movement of the arm.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 722,763 Smith Mar. 17, 1903 1,148,742 Bernstein Aug. 3, 1915 2,091,260 Farkas et al. Aug. 31, 1937 2,388,180 Pulver Oct. 30, 1945 2,574,899 Waring Nov. 13, 1951 

